The new gene therapy being studied for vision recovery after a stroke takes glial brain cells and turns them into neurons. We are fascinated by this, as we imagine the future uses of this technology. 

A stroke occurs when a blood vessel is either blocked or bursts, thus stopping or reducing blood flow to that part of the brain. This typically leads to the cells dying due to a lack of blood and oxygen. Because strokes impact the brain, one of the potential outcomes is vision loss, as well as other motor function impairments.

A recent study out of Purdue University successfully recovered vision after stroke in mouse trials using gene therapy. As the study explains, neurons do not regenerate, however, in some instances the brain can remap itself to slowly and inefficiently recover vision loss. The new gene therapy has proven to be successful and much more efficient than our brain trying to remap itself or attempting to recover vision through stem cells.

The study cited: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211002123006.htm